The effect of sexual arousal on risky decision-making / Gillian Kennedy
Date
2011
Authors
Kennedy, Gillian
University of Lethbridge. Faculty of Arts and Science
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Lethbridge, Alta. : University of Lethbridge, Dept. of Psychology, c2011
Abstract
Sexual arousal is likely an important situational factor in date rape. Research shows that
sexual arousal increases self-reported willingness to engage in sexually aggressive
behaviour. Chapter One reviews the situational, perpetrator, and victim characteristics of
date rape. Chapter Two describes an experiment that examined the effect of sexual
arousal on measures of decision-making, including Risky Choice Task, Balloon
Analogue Risk Task, Future Discounting, and on a measure of Viewing Time.
Participants were 20 heterosexual men and 22 heterosexual women 18 to 25 years old.
Results revealed that sexually aroused women preferred higher variance options
compared to women who were not, and the opposite was observed for men. No other
significant effects were observed. Chapter Three describes Experiment 2 which included
another neutral condition and a measure of sexual decision-making. Results revealed no
effect of condition on behavioural or sexual decision-making, nor on viewing times.
Chapter Four provides a general discussion and directions for future research.
Description
ix, 156 leaves; 29 cm
Keywords
Decision making -- Psychological aspects , Risk-taking (Psychology) , Motivation (Psychology) , Date rape , Dissertations, Academic